Tampa Awaits: Brightline Expansion Still a Decade Out

Tampa is likely still a decade away from a Brightline expansion, but according to local rail expert Bob O’Malley, there are several steps the county can take now to prepare for it.

The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization received an update from O’Malley during a special meeting on Sept. 3 about the current state of passenger rail. O’Malley, representing Right Track Public Affairs, has extensive experience with Brightline and CSX, making him one of the top authorities on rail in the region.

O’Malley informed the TPO board members that a number of large-scale projects are already in motion, and these will likely need to be completed before Brightline expands westward across the state. He estimates it could take around a decade before Tampa sees Brightline service. While the expansion isn’t imminent, O’Malley said the region can start preparing now.

“The county is focusing on a lot of the right things already, whether Brightline comes to Tampa or not,” O’Malley told the Business Journal. “The extension of the Tampa Streetcar, along with bike and pedestrian improvements, are key because Brightline riders will need last-mile connections once they arrive.”

He also suggested that regional leaders consider supporting an expansion of the existing Amtrak services, which already operate from Tampa to Miami and also connect to cities in Georgia, Virginia, the Carolinas, and the Northeast.

Brightline, which began operations about a year ago, currently connects Miami to Orlando. Beyond Florida, the company is working on a major project to build a rail line between Las Vegas and Southern California.

The company recently secured a $3 billion grant and some tax-exempt bond allocations to support this expansion. O’Malley explained that Brightline is currently prioritizing this western project as they aim to complete it by the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Additionally, Brightline is working on the Sunshine Corridor, which will expand rail in Orlando, linking the Orlando International Airport to the north/south SunRail line and the convention center, then extending south on I-4 toward Disney. Both SunRail and Brightline will share this route.

As part of the statewide Moving Florida Forward initiative, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) plans to construct over 14 miles of new lanes from U.S. 27 in Polk County to State Road 536 in Orange County.

The $2.4 billion project includes adding tolled express lanes, improving interchanges, and connecting I-4 to the Central Florida Expressway Authority’s Poinciana Parkway. This work is expected to be completed over the next decade.

O’Malley emphasized that these upgrades must be finished before high-speed rail can be considered for expansion westward. Gov. Ron DeSantis has confirmed that space will be reserved along the I-4 corridor for future train service between Orlando and Tampa, although no state funds will be allocated for this project.

“If they move forward with [the Tampa expansion], there’s a corridor in place for it,” DeSantis said. “But Florida taxpayers will not be footing the bill to build a train—I can assure you of that.”

DeSantis is not the first Florida governor to reject public funding for intercity rail. Former Gov. Rick Scott similarly turned down over $2 billion in federal funds, which would have covered nearly 90% of the cost to build a high-speed rail line between Orlando and Tampa. Scott cited the cost to taxpayers as being “far too high.”

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